Letter: Time for welfare reform

Casey O.
Kerkhoven, MN     11/04/2009 8:07 AM

Thanks Larry. That is how I see it when people say dems won't be happy until they have all on welfare/handouts. To me, that is just as ridiculous as that little story I wrote :)

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joe r.
Willmar, MN     11/03/2009 5:33 PM

Gary you and Barb would be surprised how many conservatives have taken handouts and taken advantage of government programs. Sorry but your theories seem have been shot to hell in a hand basket. This is the problem some of you people seem to have, you jump to conclusions, are at times hypocrites, and bring nothing to the table but negativity. Hey does fresh air seem to give you far right complainers problems?

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kathy a.
Saint Cloud, MN     11/03/2009 4:46 PM

Gary R. I think you are wrong. Your attempt to pigeon-hole all liberals into an enabling category comes straight out of the mouths of Fox News. I would venture a guess that there is little, if any ,difference in the work ethic of liberals or conservatives and this would include encouraging or discouraging people to loaf or not to loaf. Ridiculous

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Gary R.
Minneapolis, MN     11/03/2009 12:26 PM

I guess that answers the question about who's ashamed. No surprise.

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Casey O.
Kerkhoven, MN     11/03/2009 11:06 AM

Yep, everytime I go to town I am approached by a van full of liberals telling me to apply for welfare and live for free. I try to run away from those welfare toting liberals, but they follow me all over town. I'm so worried that they'll follow me home and encourage me to apply for welfare. Last night I seen someone in the shadows in my yard. I told that person to leave and as he was leaving, he was chanting, apply, apply, apply. They did find out where I live. Now my phone is ringing off the hook with people begging me to apply for welfare. I'm staying strong and refusing to do what they want me to do. I don't want to apply for free handouts, but how am I suppose to get them to leave me alone? OMG, one is peeping in my window right now! Heeeeeelp

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Gary R.
Minneapolis, MN     11/03/2009 10:34 AM

The main point here is that the comment Barb made is absolutely correct. The difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals show compassion by encouraging people to not have to work and accept free hand outs, and the conservatives show compassion by encouraging people to work for what they get and have. Neither side is doing what they do out of meanness, just different perspectives of how the world should be. No one needs be ashamed of now they show compassion, as long as they show it.

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Shannon S.
Willmar, MN     11/03/2009 9:27 AM

Oh this guy worked. He worked for the other guy that has recently been brought up on charges for welfare fraud. In fact the twin cites news media has him on camera cleaning up an over turned turkey truck in the cities. Funny, there seems to be a pattern here.

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Ian S.
Atwater, MN     11/02/2009 11:35 PM

Barb, "If a worker receives a wage sufficiently large to enable him to provide comfortably for himself, his wife and his children, he will, if prudent, gladly strive to practice thrift; and the result will be, as nature itself seems to counsel, that after expenditures are deducted there will remain something over and above through which he can come into the possession of a little wealth. We have seen, in fact, that the whole question under consideration cannot be settled effectually unless it is assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought to favor this right and, so far as it can, see that the largest possible number among the masses of the population prefer to own property." (#65) "Wealthy owners of the means of production and employers must never forget that both divine and human law forbid them to squeeze the poor and wretched for the sake of gain or to profit from the helplessness of others." (#17) "As regards protection of this world’s good, the first task is to save the wretched workers from the brutality of those who make use of human beings as mere instruments for the unrestrained acquisition of wealth." (#43) "Care must be taken, therefore, not to lengthen the working day beyond a man’s capacity. How much time there must be for rest depends upon the type of work, the circumstances of time and place and, particularly, the health of the workers." (#43) That is from a Pope. I am not saying that we need to take the wealth of the rich and give to the poor. I am saying that the disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots" has never been more clearly apparent and substantial than it is today. And the fact that workers wages/benefits did not reflect the boom of business shows this more. I think employees will be sadly mistaken if they are counting on a COLA this year. Businesses wanted to hold onto that money when they had it, and now they can't becuase it will cause finacial hardship.

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Ian S.
Atwater, MN     11/02/2009 10:59 PM

Larry, I will admit that the intentions of the Dems are not always put into action (good and bad). That is one problem I have with them, they will not do anything unless someone is behind them. If you think something is good for your constituents, just get it done. Don't sit and wait for someone else to back you up so you have a "fall guy". I think the problem is that most people lump people on welfare into the lazy category without even thinking about it. Have these people never run into bad times? I understand that some people will hit "bad times" and actually have to cook at home a couple times a month or not but the current model year vehicle. But I would guess that most people around here are one bad time away from seeking help. For the majority of people around here, I don't think it's a matter of if but a matter of when. I guess I don't assume everyone on welfare is lazy. I understand hard times fall on good people, and people that have/will contribute back to this system should not even be questioned. The absolute hardest hit on your respect is asking someone for help. The major problem is abuse of the system. We need a major overhaul of the identification system.

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Ian S.
Atwater, MN     11/02/2009 9:20 PM

Yes, trickle down seems to work SOO much better. I wonder how much I will be LOSING out or my paycheck to pay for the increases in health care, dental care, and life insurance this year (actually I know, just wondering if anyone else has considered this). With no recent COLA's, yes, I am losing money every year. I have been at the same pay for a while now, and everything else keeps going up and up (cost of gas, natural gas, groceries, . It has to come from somewhere, the grocery bill, the student loan, the mortgage.....?

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